Card-feeding device



E. A. FORD CARD FEEDING DEVICE Original Fi1ed Nov. 7, 1924 m CD snow orWW 0% am I mm s mi Patented Aug. 14, 1928..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE A. FORD, F SCARSDALE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE TABULATING MA-CHINE GOMPANY, OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CARD-FEEDING nnvron.

Original application filed November '7, 1924, Serial No. 748,347.Divided and this application filed January 12, 1926.

This invention pertains to machines such as card-controlled tabulators,Sorters and the like in which record cards are fed one by one from amagazine, the invention referring particularly to improved devices forfeeding the cards from the magazine and being a division of my copendingapplication, Serial No. 748,347, filed November 7, 1924.

One of the objects of the invention is to i provide a card feedingdevice of a rotary nature capable of operating at higher speed than thereciprocating devices commonly used in machines of this kind.

Another object is to provide a card feeding device which is less noisythan the ordinary reciprocating type thereby better fitting it foroffice use. a 7

Another object is to provide means to obviate harmful buckling of thecards while being fed from the magazine.

Another object is to be able to positively feed the cards even if theyare slightly buckled.

Another object is to provide an improved throat opening and means foradjusting it.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section through the picker drum and the cardmagazine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the card cards removed.

The drawings show only the card magazine, picker mechanism and devicesassociated therewith. The card after being pushed through the cardthroat by the picker may pass into control of any suitable mechanismsuch as conveyor rolls, such mechanism forming no part of the presentinvention.

The feed mechanism consists of the rotary picker drum 61, mounted onshaft 61 which rotates in synchronism with the rest of the machine. Drum61 carries in its rim a number of picker blades 69 extending lengthwiseof the drum and secured in place by the screws 70. These blades projectfrom the drum a distance slightly less than the thickness of a card. Asthe drum revolves each blade in turn picks a card from the bottom of thestack and feeds it through the micrometer or card throat openings 72provided between the fixed plates 73 and rollers 74, carried by plates 76', one micrometer opening being located toward each end of throat takenon line 22 of Fig. 1 with all Serial No. 80,728.

the card. The openings are adjusted so that only one card may pass at atime, the adjustment being accomplished by set screws 75 which raise orlower plates-7 6 thereby moving rollers 7 4 relative toplate 73. Thecard is impelled by the picker blade until it is seized by the conveyorrollers or other suitable devices.

The picker drum varies from true cylindrical shape as best shown in Fig.1 wherein it will be noticed that after a picker blade has taken itscard, the weight of the right hand side of the stack of cards is restingon that portion of the drum which is truly cylindrical, and as the drumrevolves, the stack, following the cut-away contour of the drum,gradually reaches a low position at the point 77, from which point theedge of the stack is rapidly pushed upward again as that portion of thedrum between 77 and the blade pass under it, and is still being raisedwhen the blade contacts with the card.

The front faces of the blades are not radial, but if extended inwardlywould be tangent to the circle 78. This is done so there will be aslightly obtuse angle between card and dpicker blade at time of contactas indicate by angle 79, and the blade thereby gets a positive grip onthe card.

Each card, when struck by the rapidly moving picker blade, has atendency to buckle, but this is rendered unobjectionable by making plate80 slightly concave. This construction allows the card to: buckleslightly downwards in the middle without disturb ing the stack orinterfering with the positiveness of feed. Likewise the lower edges ofplate 73 are curved upwards on both sides of micrometer opening 72 toallow the card freedom to curve slightly at its ends without interferingwith regular operation of feed.

The stack of cards is held in position to be fed into the machine byplate 73 and by the two side plates 81 and by the two slotted posts 82.The side plates 81 are held in position by dowel pins extending fromtheir lower ends into the frame of the machine, as at 83, and by thumbscrews through the plate 73 near the upper ends of the posts. Provisionmay be made for feeding cards of different lengths by moving side plates81 to different positions, as for instance, to the positions indicatedby dowel holes 85 in the frame. Posts 82 are slotted vertically toreceive guide studs (not shown) in keeper plate 56.

The under side of plate 56 is slightly out awa as at 88 to prevent thepicker knives hittin the edge of the plate after the last card as beenfed. To further provide against injury to plate or blades the plate isprovided with two studs 89, their lower edges being lower than thebottom of the plate so that when the last card has been fed the heads ofthe studs ride on the drum and kee the plate out of contact with drum orpic er blades. The blades are notched to provide a clear path for thestuds 89.

What I claim is- 1. In a machine of the character described, incombination, a card magazine and a rotary feed drum having one or morepicker blades, the surface of the drum being cylindrical for a distancebehind each picker blade, then gradually decreasing in radius for adistance and then increasing to full diameter at next picker blade.

2. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a cardmagazine and a rotary picker drum, said drum being arranged to feedcards one by one from the magazine,'

the surface of the drum being so shaped that after a carduis fed theside of the-stack of cards resting on the drum will be lowered, and thenraised again before the next blade reaches it.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a cardmagazine and a rotary picker drum, said drum being arranged to feedcards one by one from the magazine, one edge of the stack of cards inthe magazine resting on the drum, the surface of the drum being soshaped that after each card is fed the side of the stack of cardsresting on the drum will be gradually lowered and more quickly raisedbefore the next blade reaches it.

4. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a stack ofcards, a rotary feed drum having picker blades, and a keeper plate torest on top of the cards while being fed, said plate and picker bladesbeing provided with means to prevent contact between plate and bladesafter the last card has been fed.

' 5. In a machine of the character described, a

in combination, a stack of cards, feed drum with picker blades, and akeeper plate, said plate being cut away on under side of rear edge, andbeing provided with one or more studs projecting from its rear edge andarranged to bearon the surface of the drum in order to keep the keeperplate and blades out of contact, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the character described, in combination, with a stackof cards, a picker, means for feeding cards one by one from the bottomof said stack, a keeper plate to rest upon the top of the cards whilebeing fed, said plate and picker being provided with means to preventcontact between the plate and picker after the last card has been fed.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

EUGENE A. FORD.

a rotary

